2007 Ch. d'Yquem, Sauternes

According to the team at d'Yquem, the 2007 vintage reminded them of a combination of 1997, the legendary 1967 and the stylish 1988. The wealth of flavour on the palate is seamless and completely mouthfilling without yet showing the glorious detail to come, while the finish is sensationally long. This has lived up to every expectation in 2007 and will surely be considered as one of the truly great d'Yquems of all time.

While not as majestic as the ethereal 2001 it's going to give it a run for its money! ... and it's a lot of money make no mistake. The '07 is expensive but we feel honour bound to offer it as this is one of the greatest wines in the world.

Prices:

In Bond

Please Note:

Wines sold "In Bond" (including BBX) or EnPrimeur are not available for immediate delivery & Storage charges apply.

Scores and Reviews

BBR

19.5/20

DECANTER

19/20

JANCIS

19/20

WS

97-100/100

DECANTER - Very aromatic and unctuous with a lovely point of freshness coming through at the end. On the palate there is a great concentration and richness (130g residual sugar in this sample). Very unctuous yet complex and fresh. A touch of alcohol shows through on the finish but these are early days and this is only a marker for the finished article. This will be one of the great Yquem vintages.

JANCIS - Deep golden with an orange tinge. Very tangy. And thick. At the same time. Massive weight! Extraordinary fullness. An edge of something a bit corrective - almost bitter. Very big and hits you between eyeballs. Citrus pith. Needs to settle down and become more gentle. Big and round. Almost over the top. So rich!!!!! But definite bitterness on the finish. Winemaker Sandrine Garbay, who has been there an incredible 14 years, thinks the 2001 has more finesse. I agree.

WS - This is amazing. Full of spicy botrytis character, with smoke and piecrust underneath. Full and rich, yet not cloying or too dense. It's lively and long, finishing with intensity and powerl. A unnerving combination of wild ripe fruit and intense botrytis, with lively acidity. Really powerful. Should be a perfect wine.(James Suckling - Wine Spectator - Apr-2008)

You may also like

The Producer

Chateau d`Yquem is often described as the greatest sweet wine in the world. After centuries of family ownership, Yquem was finally sold in acrimonious circumstances to Louis Vuitton-Moët-Hennessy in 1999. However, its former owner and director Alexandre de Lur-Saluce remains in charge.

Yquem is located on the highest hill in Sauternes and enjoys the best growing conditions in the whole appellation. The 110-hectare vineyard is planted with 80% Sémillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. Only fully botrytized fruit is picked by the 150 highly skilled pickers and yields are so low that each vine produces only one glass of wine.

Yquem is fermented in oak barrels (100% new) and is left in barriques to mature for up to 36 months. Intensely opulent when young, Yquem develops an extraordinary complexity and exotic richness when fully mature, with the best vintages lasting for over 50 years. Château d'Yquem is classified as a 1er Cru Classé supérieur.

Other wines by this producer:

The Grape

The blend used for White Graves and Sauternes and rarely encountered outside France. In the great dry whites of Graves, Sauvignon Blanc tends to predominate in the blend, although properties such as Smith Haut Lafite use 100% Sauvignon Blanc while others such as Laville Haut Brion have as much as 60% Sémillon in their final blends. Sauvignon Blanc wines can lose their freshness and fruit after a couple of years in bottle - if blended with Sémillon, then the latter bolsters the wine when the initial fruit from the Sauvignon fades. Ultimately Sauvignon Blanc gives the wine its aroma and raciness while Sémillon gives it backbone and longevity.

In Sauternes, Sémillon is dominant, with Sauvignon Blanc playing a supporting role - it is generally harvested about 10 days before Sémillon and the botrytis concentrates its sweetness and dampens Sauvignon Blanc`s naturally pungent aroma. It contributes acidity, zip and freshness to Sauternes and is an important component of the blend.

The Region

Sauternes is where arguably the world's finest sweet white wines are produced. The Sauternes appellation actually consists of five communes: Barsac, Preignac, Bommes, Fargues and Sauternes itself. Barsac is also an appellation in its own right.

Sauternes literally has an atmosphere different from any of the other major communes. At the southern tip of the Graves,close to the Garonne, not only is the land hillier and decidedly more bucolic but it also enjoys a specific mesoclimate of evening autumn mists which linger until well into the following day, unless burnt off by warm sunshine.

The mists are caused by the cool, spring-fed waters of the Ciron River meeting the warmer tidal Garonne, and the result is an ideal environment for the growth of the mould botrytis cinerea. When its arrival is felicitous, it feeds on the water in the ripe grapes, dehydrating them and leaving sweet, shriveled fruit.

Other regions in Bordeaux (ie Cadillac, Loupiac) produce wines in a similar style from the same method, but none achieve the profundity and complexity of Sauternes.